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Aug. 1st, 2011 08:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dancing_crowyesterday was exhausting, but gratifying
Started waaay too early, and scribed for the first three sets of riders. The judge (Grace Golden) was a perfect match for the show - relaxed, generous with her marks, sympathetic to the riders and horses. She also liked rangier horses rather than more compact ones; it didn't show in the scores but did in the comments.
The show itself was pocked with comedy. One woman memorized the 2007 T1 test, forgetting that the tests had changed this year, and had to start again with a reader.
There were 3 kids in the equitation class, two of them riding one horse, and then -- one girl's boot broke, and the riders sharing the horse had to swap boots when they swapped riders! So that was a scrimmage and a half right there.
The woman scribing after me couldn't hear the judge, so Elaine called for volunteers from the pile of people watching from the sidelines and one kind woman stepped up and did a lovely job.
I was riding Kaboose. Bob brought her in, and helped tack up and cool off while I was stomping about in a deranged fashion being useful. Suzanne was there keeping an eye on her students, all mounted on chestnuts (!) and it while it was a huge luxury to have a groom it was an even bigger luxury to have a coach. I hadn't realized how used I was to doing things on my own. The first test was smooth and even and veryvery nice - Kaboose was going along and easy to move and easy to steer, and it was T2 which is a lot of big sweeping motion; around the end of the ring and across the diagonal and circles on the long side. We ended up with 65%, a very pleasing number, and a red ribbon. The top scores were all close, 66, 65 and 64, so we were all in good company.
And then after lunch, I FINALLY rode a first level test. Warmup was crowded and I was fussy, but the mare was fine. So we warmed up with supervision, and Suzanne (who had asked "what are waiting for, permission?? you'd be fine, FINE at first level" when I was deciding what to sign up for) reassured us that we had all the pieces, and then I trotted in and halted at X and saluted... and forgot my test. It was 100% pilot error, over and over (and over, for a final elimination). We had some really nice pieces - the scores on the movements we did do were 7s and 8s, and one crossed out 9 because she jigged at the transition from free walk to medium - but I had a moment's hesitation, and then I didn't ask for a reader, and boom! all flown right. out. of. my. head.
My cheering section was laughing at/with me, because I was clearly laughing at myself. Suzanne asked if I'd needed a GPS. Someone else suggested I'd been riding a music-free musical freestyle. The judge offered that I'd been having such a nice day I thought I'd keep the test going for a while. Leonor seemed encouraged that even I could forget a test, and thought she might try riding one after all if she could have a reader. Bob is thinking of a combined test, but only if Suzanne will work on some jumping with him in the next month or two.
So I've graduated, and I get a small glass of champagne for it, and then I get to memorize some new tests, and ride and ride and ride them.
In summary: Best E evar.
Started waaay too early, and scribed for the first three sets of riders. The judge (Grace Golden) was a perfect match for the show - relaxed, generous with her marks, sympathetic to the riders and horses. She also liked rangier horses rather than more compact ones; it didn't show in the scores but did in the comments.
The show itself was pocked with comedy. One woman memorized the 2007 T1 test, forgetting that the tests had changed this year, and had to start again with a reader.
There were 3 kids in the equitation class, two of them riding one horse, and then -- one girl's boot broke, and the riders sharing the horse had to swap boots when they swapped riders! So that was a scrimmage and a half right there.
The woman scribing after me couldn't hear the judge, so Elaine called for volunteers from the pile of people watching from the sidelines and one kind woman stepped up and did a lovely job.
I was riding Kaboose. Bob brought her in, and helped tack up and cool off while I was stomping about in a deranged fashion being useful. Suzanne was there keeping an eye on her students, all mounted on chestnuts (!) and it while it was a huge luxury to have a groom it was an even bigger luxury to have a coach. I hadn't realized how used I was to doing things on my own. The first test was smooth and even and veryvery nice - Kaboose was going along and easy to move and easy to steer, and it was T2 which is a lot of big sweeping motion; around the end of the ring and across the diagonal and circles on the long side. We ended up with 65%, a very pleasing number, and a red ribbon. The top scores were all close, 66, 65 and 64, so we were all in good company.
And then after lunch, I FINALLY rode a first level test. Warmup was crowded and I was fussy, but the mare was fine. So we warmed up with supervision, and Suzanne (who had asked "what are waiting for, permission?? you'd be fine, FINE at first level" when I was deciding what to sign up for) reassured us that we had all the pieces, and then I trotted in and halted at X and saluted... and forgot my test. It was 100% pilot error, over and over (and over, for a final elimination). We had some really nice pieces - the scores on the movements we did do were 7s and 8s, and one crossed out 9 because she jigged at the transition from free walk to medium - but I had a moment's hesitation, and then I didn't ask for a reader, and boom! all flown right. out. of. my. head.
My cheering section was laughing at/with me, because I was clearly laughing at myself. Suzanne asked if I'd needed a GPS. Someone else suggested I'd been riding a music-free musical freestyle. The judge offered that I'd been having such a nice day I thought I'd keep the test going for a while. Leonor seemed encouraged that even I could forget a test, and thought she might try riding one after all if she could have a reader. Bob is thinking of a combined test, but only if Suzanne will work on some jumping with him in the next month or two.
So I've graduated, and I get a small glass of champagne for it, and then I get to memorize some new tests, and ride and ride and ride them.
In summary: Best E evar.